1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a system for generating digitized documents for a digital environment, including at least one scanner, provided with a local operator control unit. The invention also relates to a method for use in such system.
2. Description of Related Art
A system of this kind is known from EP-A 0 757 311. In this conventional system, a scanner is connected via a network to a digital environment. The term “digital environment” in this context denotes a set of digital data processing devices, such as computers and workstations, interconnected by a local network.
To initiate a scanning process in this conventional system, a memory location in the digital environment is selected on an operator control panel of the local operator control unit of a scanner, i.e. an operator control unit present in the machine itself, the memory location being intended as a destination for a data file to be generated during the scanning, and a name is specified for the file. The memory location is usually a directory in the memory of a computer connected to the scanner via the network.
After an operator has selected the destination in the conventional system, he can start the actual scanning process, whereafter the generated image data are automatically transmitted by the scanner to the destination where they are stored under the given file name in the selected directory.
One disadvantage of this conventional procedure is that an order for the scanning of a specific document must first be communicated by an applicant to the scanner operator, who is frequently situated at a completely different place, the applicant also having to indicate a destination and a file name. The operator of the scanner must also locally input the destination and name.
An improvement can be obtained by digitally transmitting to the scanner via the network a scan order which already contains the destination and name. These data can then be automatically taken over by the scanner so that the operator no longer has to take any further action. This solution has been embodied in an Océ-Technologies B.V. product known as the Océe 9800. In this product, a scan order is compiled by an external application, the scan order containing a specification of the required digital format of the data file for generation, a name for the same and the destination to which the file must be sent.
A scan order of this kind, however, blocks the scanner until the order has been executed. This can lead to delays, for example if the document for scanning is not yet directly available, because no other scan orders can be executed in the meantime.
The conventional procedure obstructs efficient management, and fails to provide a system in which that scan orders can be given from a workstation in the digital environment but do not have to be executed until everything is ready so to do.